State Rep. Rick Catlin backs budget amendment to crack down on puppy mills

Published: Friday, June 13, 2014 at 4:35 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 13, 2014 at 4:35 p.m.

A few years ago, state Rep. Rick Catlin and his wife Janice adopted a down-on-her-luck puppy named Sophie. She couldn't walk and her paws were stained from years of hard, cage living. They started out as foster parents and "it didn't take but a couple of hours before we fell in love and decided to keep her," said the New Hanover County Republican.

It's his love of Sophie, who was rescued from a puppy mill raid in Brunswick County in August 2012, that has made Catlin an outspoken supporter of measures in the General Assembly to crack down on large-scale puppy breeders who fail to extend basic rights to man's best friend.

Catlin was one of 75 lawmakers to vote in favor of an amendment offered Thursday to the House budget that would expand the definition of dealer to include commercial dog breeders who have 10 or more female dogs.

The amendment, sponsored by state Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, exempts breeders of hunting dogs and would shift the state's animal welfare section from the state Department of Agriculture to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. The amendment was tacked onto the $21-plus-billion budget approved by the House Friday morning.

‘Step in the right direction'

Calling the legislation a step in the right direction, Catlin said the bill offers some simple standards to keep animals healthy and in humane conditions.

"It's not a big burden but it allows local law enforcement to check a puppy mill and identify problems before it becomes a disaster like the Brunswick County puppy mill was," he said.

The August 2012 Brunswick County raid to which Catlin refers led to the rescue of some 70 puppies and their nursing mothers living in stacked cages, some soaked in urine, in a trailer that had been without air conditioning for several days in the dead of summer.

Saine, the amendment's sponsor, has said in previous interviews that he decided to fight for a puppy mill crackdown after hearing about the Leland case.

This has also been a hallmark issue of First Lady Ann McCrory and Gov. Pat McCrory, who praised the House language in a press release after the vote.

Local vets go tit-for-tat

On the homefront, one local state senator has earned himself an opponent in part because of comments he made about those previous efforts to pass puppy mill legislation.

During a January meeting with animal welfare advocates and the Brunswick County sheriff, state Sen. Bill Rabon accused McCrory of a "flagrant violation of power" for pushing his puppy mill proposal and used profane language to deride fellow lawmakers for pushing what Rabon considered a weak bill to crack down on puppy mills.

Rabon, a Southport veterinarian, later apologized for his "inappropriate and offensive" comments.

Democrat Ernie Ward, also a veterinarian, of Ocean Isle Beach, said previously that Rabon's comments "did accelerate the timeline" for his entry into the race. The two face off this November.

Reached by phone Friday, Rabon at first declined comment on the measure, but called back to say, "I've heard it was in the (House) budget but I haven't had a chance to read it."

Ward, however, quickly praised the vote, saying in a statement that passage of the amendment "is a victory for all of us who have spent years fighting to protect North Carolina's dogs."

And it was good news, too, for some local dog lovers.

Tristan Mardall a resident of Carolina Shores and owner of four dogs, said that it is "ridiculous that puppy mills are flocking to North Carolina because our rules are so lax on them."

He called puppy mills like the one raided in Brunswick County "torture factories."

However, efforts to regulate or license commercial dog breeders have failed in previous sessions because groups have expressed concern that it could have a negative spinoff and adversely affect poultry and swine farming, or limit the use of hunting dogs.

The American Kennel Club also opposes the measure passed by the House, expressing concern that only those "actively training the majority of their dogs" for hunting or show would be exempt from the licensing and inspection requirements for those with 10 or more intact females. The AKC also opposes the transfer of the Animal Welfare Act from Agriculture to Public safety.

<p>A few years ago, state Rep. Rick Catlin and his wife Janice adopted a down-on-her-luck puppy named Sophie. She couldn't walk and her paws were stained from years of hard, cage living. They started out as foster parents and "it didn't take but a couple of hours before we fell in love and decided to keep her," said the New Hanover County Republican. </p><p>It's his love of Sophie, who was rescued from a puppy mill raid in Brunswick County in August 2012, that has made Catlin an outspoken supporter of measures in the General Assembly to crack down on large-scale puppy breeders who fail to extend basic rights to man's best friend.</p><p>Catlin was one of 75 lawmakers to vote in favor of an amendment offered Thursday to the House budget that would expand the definition of dealer to include commercial dog breeders who have 10 or more female dogs. </p><p>The amendment, sponsored by state Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, exempts breeders of hunting dogs and would shift the state's animal welfare section from the state Department of Agriculture to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. The amendment was tacked onto the $21-plus-billion budget approved by the House Friday morning.</p><p><b>'Step in the right direction'</b> </p><p>Calling the legislation a step in the right direction, Catlin said the bill offers some simple standards to keep animals healthy and in humane conditions. </p><p>"It's not a big burden but it allows local law enforcement to check a puppy mill and identify problems before it becomes a disaster like the Brunswick County puppy mill was," he said.</p><p>The August 2012 Brunswick County raid to which Catlin refers led to the rescue of some 70 puppies and their nursing mothers living in stacked cages, some soaked in urine, in a trailer that had been without air conditioning for several days in the dead of summer.</p><p>Saine, the amendment's sponsor, has said in previous interviews that he decided to fight for a puppy mill crackdown after hearing about the <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9971"><b>Leland</b></a> case. </p><p>This has also been a hallmark issue of First Lady Ann McCrory and Gov. Pat McCrory, who praised the House language in a press release after the vote.</p><p><b>Local vets go tit-for-tat</b> </p><p>On the homefront, one local state senator has earned himself an opponent in part because of comments he made about those previous efforts to pass puppy mill legislation. </p><p>During a January meeting with animal welfare advocates and the Brunswick County sheriff, state Sen. Bill Rabon accused McCrory of a "flagrant violation of power" for pushing his puppy mill proposal and used profane language to deride fellow lawmakers for pushing what Rabon considered a weak bill to crack down on puppy mills. </p><p>Rabon, a Southport veterinarian, later apologized for his "inappropriate and offensive" comments.</p><p>Democrat Ernie Ward, also a veterinarian, of Ocean Isle Beach, said previously that Rabon's comments "did accelerate the timeline" for his entry into the race. The two face off this November. </p><p>Reached by phone Friday, Rabon at first declined comment on the measure, but called back to say, "I've heard it was in the (House) budget but I haven't had a chance to read it."</p><p>Ward, however, quickly praised the vote, saying in a statement that passage of the amendment "is a victory for all of us who have spent years fighting to protect North Carolina's dogs." </p><p>And it was good news, too, for some local dog lovers.</p><p>Tristan Mardall a resident of Carolina Shores and owner of four dogs, said that it is "ridiculous that puppy mills are flocking to North Carolina because our rules are so lax on them." </p><p>He called puppy mills like the one raided in Brunswick County "torture factories." </p><p>However, efforts to regulate or license commercial dog breeders have failed in previous sessions because groups have expressed concern that it could have a negative spinoff and adversely affect poultry and swine farming, or limit the use of hunting dogs. </p><p>The American Kennel Club also opposes the measure passed by the House, expressing concern that only those "actively training the majority of their dogs" for hunting or show would be exempt from the licensing and inspection requirements for those with 10 or more intact females. The AKC also opposes the transfer of the Animal Welfare Act from Agriculture to Public safety.</p><p>Metro desk: 343-2384</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNewsMolly</p>